Alice in Horrorland
by FallingFantasy
Summary: Years after Alice had left Wonderland, she can't get over it, she has to go back. But no one believes her. They think she's crazy. When Alice re-discovers Wonderland, all will not be how it seems...There's deeper and darker secrets that now lie beneath the cover of Wonderland...and Alice is about to get sucked into it. Rated T for cussing, violence, and dark themes. Told by Alice.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

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**This is not your ordinary prologue. This is not told by Alice, who the rest of the story is told by. This is told by me. Now who is me you ask? Well what does it matter to you? I could be asking the same thing about you. Who are you?**

**This is not your ordinary story. This is a story of a journey of a young girl. One of a girl who starts out quite naïve, and later becomes more sensible, and understanding. But let me assure you, this is _still _not your ordinary story. Right when it would be coming to the end, the one you think would be the correct ending that fits the story, will not be the ending at all. Why, that will be just the beginning. The beginning to the actual story that fits the title of this story.**

**There are two parts to this story. Part I, and Part II. Part I shall lead up to Part II, and Part II shall be the last Part, as to where it ends. What is that supposed to mean? Well it means exactly what it does mean, and if it didn't, then you'd be quite confused right now, wouldn't you?**

**This story will have twists.**

**This story will have evil.**

**This story will have romance.**

**This story will have mystery.**

**This story will have humor.**

**This story will have diddileybobs that don't quite make any sense.**

**This story, will most importantly, have horror.**

**Un-bearable, horror. Horror so horrifying, you may just want to turn around now and not proceed. But the horror will come when you least expect it. Like a horror movie. Yet this is no horror movie, because the horror doesn't start until the beginning. And like I said, when you think it's the end, it will be the beginning. And the beginning of the story that you think is the beginning, is really just a start.**

**Enough of this nonsense though. Let the story….begin!**


	2. Chapter 1: Time is Ticking

***Disclaimer*: I do not own any of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland characters but I do own the made up characters in this story.**

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**PART 1: BLOOD RUSHING**

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**Chapter One: Time is Ticking**

Tok. Tok. Tik. Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok. Everything in the room is flooded out by the sound of the wall clock. I'm just waiting for those hands to move to twelve, where the wires connected will trigger the old non-working KooCoo clock's bird to come out and scream. I know Dr. Greggers is probably speaking to me right now, but I don't care. The sound of the clock brings back memories of the White Rabbit.

"Alice!" Dr. Greggers shouts. I turn my attention to him and notice he's been trying to call me for a while. "This is never going to work," my father says turning towards my mother. They are sitting on a small bench by the door in the left corner of the room, one that is completely shiny and all brown, and was dedicated to some person who is now dead. My father is practically pulling the hair out of his head. It's a shame too, because he doesn't have too much left.

His dark brown hair is short and gelled down today, and he's wearing a nice, blue and white striped buttoned up shirt with some khaki-colored dress pants. He has his normal boring, brown, oval-shaped shoes on today, the ones with the same colored laces. My mother has her blonde silky hair up into a bun that's covered by a big, green hat with a white flower on the side as usual. I don't think I've ever seen her hair a different way without a hat.

Her shirt sleeves cut off just before her wrists, it's the same colored green as her hat, with white buttons. She has a white pencil skirt on, with some white heels to match. Of course around her neck are thousands of shiny pearls, with a matching bracelet and a huge diamond ring to go along with her diamond wedding ring. Oh and don't forget the purse, the huge brown purse. Her gold sparkly nail polish keeps distracting me, and I find it hard to look at anything else.

Dr. Greggers is probably the only normal one amongst us all. He's wearing some black pants that stop before his ankles, with a short sleeved black and white striped shirt. His light brown hair is gelled down into the same style as my father's, and his spectacles seem to not fit well, for her keeps re-adjusting them.

"Alice!" my father snaps at me. He's clearly browned off.

"Is this bench bespoke?" my mother asks Dr. Greggers running her hands along the smooth marvel.

"Dr. Greggers I see you have a coffee machine," my mother begins, "do you mind getting us a cuppa some?"

"Stop!" Dr. Greggers yells. "If you people think Alice is daft I sure know why! You're spreading it onto her! Normally this kind of case is a doddle but not when I have a patient's parents like this! Mr. and Ms. Craner I'm going to have to ask you to leave and wait in the sitting area. The lift is on the left from the door. There's some fairy cakes on a table if you'd like to help yourself."

My mother has a look of shock on her face, and gets up with my father.

"Well I never…"she starts as she leaves. Dr. Greggers runs his hands through his hair and sighs.

"It's all a bunch of rubbish you know," I tell him, "what they say. They think I've gone absolutely bonkers. But I'm not. Wonderland is real. I've been there."

"Alice," he says, "sometimes we have dreams that seem very real, and our imaginations lead us to think they are."

"But it can't be fake," I tell him, "with all dreams you usually only remember what a long the lines they were of when you wake, but I remember every detail from this. It was with my sister Matilda too, you can ask her. She'll remember. I was gone for a while when we went to the park, it was because I found the rabbit hole."

"As an adult I have to say I know where your parents are coming from…"

"My parents are complete twonks," I say. "I'm an adult too."

"Yes," he says, "but you are only twenty-one. You still have a vivid imagination. What I wouldn't give to be your age…." I push the button on the leather recliner chair to make the foot rest come out. I lay my legs across it and close my eyes as I lean back.

"Let's try another idea," he suggests. "I want you to tell me about some of the characters you've…met…in Wonderland."

"Well there's the White Rabbit," I tell him, "If it wasn't for him I would have never found Wonderland. He had a stopwatch, and all he kept prattling about was how he was late. Then there's the doorknob."

"The doorknob?" Dr. Greggers asks.

"Yes," I say, "the doorknob. He talks too. He's the one who let me in-…"

"With the bread and the drink and the key, right?" Dr. Greggers asks.

"Yes," I tell him, "the ones I told you about. The Caterpillar smokes a pipe, and after he breathes out words that make me cough tremendously. He gave me the bread that made me normal sized. And of course don't forget The Mad Hatter. Why as nutters as he is, he's quite funny."

"Do you fancy The Mad Hatter?" Dr. Greggers asks.

"Why of course not!" I say, "not my taste. And one of my favorites is Cheshire." A smile comes across my face.

"Ah yes," Dr. Greggers reclaims, "The Cheshire Cat. He can make any part of his body disappear."

"Why yes," I say, "sort of creepy, but the most amazing thing you've ever seen."

"What about the Heart Princess?" he asks.

"Not the Heart Princess," I correct him, "The Queen of Hearts. She's quite evil, and whenever someone does something she doesn't like, it's off with their heads! I beat her in a game of croquet, and it was almost off with my head too. But I won that trial."

"Croquet," Dr. Greggers repeats, "like a normal game?"

"Yes," I say, "only with porcupines as the balls, and flamingos as the clubs!"

"Alright," he says closing his notebook, "I've heard enough." "Jenny," he says to his assistant who just walks in with an empty tray of fairy cake crumbs. "Go get Alice's parents, I'm ready for them now." She nods her head and walks out, and shortly comes back with my mom and dad.

Dr. Greggers gets up and goes over to quietly speak with my parents.

"She felt a connection," he starts, "with some character named The Mad Hatter, it was a romantic one. Which is one thing that keeps her tied down to Wonderland. And another one named The Queen of Hearts scares her, I assume haunts her, another thing keeping her tied down. These two characters are the only bondage between Alice and Wonderland."

"That's the most insane thing I've ever heard!" I shout as I get up and stomp over to them. "I do not feel anything for The Mad Hatter! And I certainly am not afraid of The Queen of Hearts!" The White Rabbit is the real thing keeping me tied. Every time I see a clock I become reminded of them.

"What about this White Rabbit?" Dr. Greggers asks, "you said he has a wrist watch?"

"Yes," I say.

"Hmmm," he says as he strokes his chin. "The clock!" he kerfuffle, "of course that's it! Alice go sit back in the chair!"

I do as he says, and he pulls out a small watch hanging from a golden chain. "Stare into the watch," he tells me. "What do you see?"

"I see," I start, "the White Rabbit. He's very nervous, and oh look he's gotten a new wrist watch! I wonder if The Mad Hatter fixed it for him after smearing it with all that butter and jam."

"Now Alice," Dr. Greggers says, "There is no Wonderland. Wonderland was just a dream. It's okay to dream, and write stories from dreams, but when speaking out loud about your dreams makes people think you truly are nutters."

"I'm not nutters," I say, "I only speak the truth." With that he shuts the watch tight and throws it against the wall.

"She's hopeless," he says, "she's too stubborn."

"No one is hopeless!" my mother fights. "We'll continue to pay you and you'll continue to work. Now let's go Alice." I follow my parents outside the tall boring building, and we go inside of their brown estate car.

The car ride home is quiet, and eventually I scoot up in my seat in the back, and place my hands on the seats of both my parents.

"I'm not bonkers you know," I say. No response. "Wonderland is real. I saw it. You just don't' believe me because you have no imagination. That's what Dr. Greggers said. That older adults, they don't have any imagination. But just because I'm an adult, doesn't mean I will lose my imagination."

"Stop this rubbish!" my mother shouts. "You've gone barking mad Alice!" My mother bursts into tears. "No daughter of mine will stay that way, oh no. We'll get you daily visits if you need it! Anything to stop this Wonderland business."

"But Wonderland is real!" I tell them.

"Enough Alice!" my father says, "You've already upset your mother. We've heard enough of this. You will not repeat this to anyone, do you hear me?"

"But I.-.."

"No!" my father says, "Do you hear me?" I look out the window and see we have arrived at my house.

"No," I say, "No I don't hear you." I push open the car door and step out, making sure to slam it behind me. I quickly walk to my front door, and unlock it with the key. As I push open the door, I rush inside and sit down on my grotty red couch. Cheap parents. They're practically millards! And they won't even lend me a single pound!

My wazzock of a father, thinking he can tell me what I can and can't do. A cold breeze comes by, so I get up to check the electric fire. Something's jammed it, so I try to ply it out, but I am not strong enough. With a sigh, I walk up the creaky, wooden stairs and pull on a light blue, knitted jumper. I change out of my pants and put on a new pair of white, laced smalls. Once finished, I walk down and turn on the small dusty red telebox. "And in recent news," the newsreader lady says, "Jessie Rodney, the twenty-three year old man that every young female is randy with, has gone missing!" Yuck. How rude to use such a sexual word like randy. I don't feel randy towards Jessie Rodney and never will. As a matter of fact I hate him!

He thinks he's the coolest new thing and that he can get any girl whenever he fancies. Of course all the girls like him because they dream of rodgering with him one day. No one actually knows him, they just know he has become famous because of one minor film he was in. He's not even an actor anymore. The tele flashes up an image of him. He has shaggy bronze hair, and he's wearing a grey t-shirt with a leather jacket over it. He has ripped jeans, and of course his hands are in his pockets. Next door I hear the screams of small girls. They must be watching too.

I shut off the telebox and pull all my blonde hair to one side. I plaid it into one big plaid, and tie it with a blue hair tie. It matches my eyes, because they are the same unusual, pretty shade of blue. I'm so parky now, and just wish my sister Matilda was here. She was the one who basically raised me, and right as I went into high school my parents decided to show up. They wouldn't even pay for college. Matilda was old enough to keep me, but of course she went to finish college. Now no one knows what happened to her. But who are my parents to suddenly appear in my life and kick out my sister who was really the one who raised me?

They cannot tell me what to do anymore. After all, I'm an adult, so they have no control over me. That's correct. As of tomorrow, I shall give my parents a ring up to tell them I will no longer be attending these trips to the therapist. I know I'm not bonkers, so I don't need to see any therapist. I grow knackered, so I decide to head upstairs to go to get a good night kip. I shimmy out of my jumper and top, and replace them with a white camisole and put the blue jumper back on.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. The old grandfather clock starts ringing it's big old bell. Ding. Ding. Ding.

"I'm late!" shouts the white rabbit. "I'm ever so late this time!"

"Well, what are you late for?" I ask.

"Oh my!" he shouts as he turns around and sees me. He starts to faint backwards but I catch him in time. "Alice!" he says, "you're late!"

"Why, I'm not late," I say, "you're late. I didn't have anything scheduled."

"Late," he says, "Late late late." "Come we must be going."

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Back to Wonderland of course," he says.

"Wonderland isn't real," Dr. Greggers says. "It's apart of your imagination."

"Sometimes Alice," the Mad Hatter says, "Imagination is good. But this isn't your imagination. This is _real._"

"Why are we going back to Wonderland?" I ask the rabbit.

"Haven't you hear?" asks the White Rabbit. I shake my head. "Alice," he says, "Wonderland has fallen apart. We _need _you."

_Need you._

_Need you._

_Need you._

_Need you._

I wake up gasping, immediately pushing myself up. "Oh," I say holding my hand to my heart. "Just a dream." But this isn't just a dream. It's reality. I'm going back to that old park and I'm going to find that rabbit hole. But why have I waited so long to do this? Maybe I am just bonkers. No. I'm not. I know Wonderland is real. I yank the bed sheets off of me and hop out, and go to my dresser to get dressed for the day. I put on a pair of lace pink knickers, and change into a white laced bra.

I find a beautiful blue dress that I have, it's short sleeved, and stops just past my knees, and has white lace outlining the bottom. Why does almost everything I own have lace? Probably because my parents insisted on it. Next I put on some white socks, that go to my knees, and a nice pair of black dress shoes. Once I am finished dressing, I go downstairs to the kitchen, where I find a white apron and put it on. Today is my cleaning day!

Maybe cleaning around the house will help me get my mind off of things. Right as I reach the broom my door shoves open. I quickly turn my attention to the noise only to see my parents rudely barging in my house.

"Cheerio!" Mother says as she enters. "Why, don't you look natty today Alice."

"Thanks.." I mumble. Father follows in after her swinging his brown briefcase back and forth.

"How did you get in here?!" I ask very upset.

"You left the door unlocked," Father says while sitting on my couch and opening his briefcase, only to pull out a large stack of newspapers. He puts on his spectacles and opens up one and starts reading it.

"Don't you have to work?" I ask.

"I fancy not," Mother says, "this is an emergency!" The door opens back up, and in comes Doctor Greggers.

"Oh no," I say.

"Oh yes," Mother says. "If you won't come to him, then he'll come to you. After all, your father and I are paying for him."

"If you would just take a seat Alice…" Doctor Greggers begins.

"No!" I shout. "No! Who are you people to just barge into _my _house. Get out! All of you!"

"Now Alice we are your parents and we want to help you…" Mother starts.

"Get out! Now!" I yell once more.

"Alice now don't get your knickers in a twist…" Doctor Greggers starts again.

"Oh shut yer gob," I say.

"Gor blimey!" Mother says, "No child of mine will use such slang…"

"Out of my house now!" I burst, "Or I will call the bobbies!"

"Alice!" my mother gasps, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh I would," I say picking up the telephone, "and they'll lock all of you up in prison."

"I've gotta get out of here," Doctor Greggers says, "your kid is crazy." With that Doctor Greggers quickly rushes out, shutting the door behind him.

"Anyone else?" I ask, "or shall I dial?" My father keeps reading the news, not seeming to know what's going on, and Mother just stands in her place. "Let's see.." I say, "what's that number? I believe it goes something like nine….nine…nine…."

"Okay you win!" Mother says, "Choose to be mentally ill! But it's your choice! Come on Harold!" Mother starts crying, and quickly runs out of the house, while Father remains reading.

"Harold!" Mother screams. Dad rushes up unalarmed, and grabs all of his things and leaves. Now I'm very browned off, and if they had stayed I would've really called the bobbies. I wasn't joshing. I go and put the broom up, for now I'm not in the mood to do any cleaning.

For now, I'm in the mood to prove them wrong. That's right. I'm going to find Wonderland.


	3. Chapter 2: Follow the White Rabbit

**Chapter Two: Follow The White Rabbit**

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I leave my house and decide to take my bike instead of my car. The car's noise might scare the White Rabbit. Has it ever been so long! I start riding my bike, but I keep stopping. Where exactly was that park? After all I was only a small child, how could I possibly remember where the park was? A sudden thought occurs to me. Matilda would know! But Matilda has been missing for years. So that's a bad plan.

I guess I'll just have to follow my instincts. Even though it will be rather tough. So I keep riding, trying to remember how to get there. I go visit our old house where I lived as a child. Matilda took me from there, so if I can trace back our footsteps, maybe I can find the park. I know that we didn't take a car, we went on foot, so it wasn't terribly far away. I ride out of the neighborhood looking for signs. No sign that even has the word "park."

I remember walking right, but I don't see how that would lead to a park. I take a right out of the old neighborhood which is now abandoned. I ride for what seems like forever, but nothing. Just road. And shopping centers. I turn back to the neighborhood and take a visit to the old house. I put up the kick stand to my bike, and take a look at our house. The windows are shattered, and spider webs hang nearly all over the place. There's millions of bugs. Yuck! Especially cockroaches. The driveway is cracked, and the grass is dead. The window boards now hang, and the woods behind the house have grown uncontrollably.

Life after people. I walk to the backyard where the old swing set lays. Ivy has grown over it, almost devouring the poor old thing. There's many holes in the old wood. Only one explanation. Termites. I take a seat on my swing, the low green one. I slowly push myself back and forth while holding on to the rope, trying to think. An old memory flashes back to me, of when I was ten years old, sitting on this very swing, singing a song my grandmother had taught me.

_Oh where, oh where_

_Does the humming bird go?_

_Oh where, oh where_

_Does the wind blow _

_Oh where, oh where, _

_Do the buzzing bees rest_

_Oh where, oh where,_

_Do the birds place their nest_

_If I could fly_

_I sometimes ask_

_Would I, would I, really even try?_

_What has happened, well no one really knows_

_But I know where the humming bird really goes_

I find my flashback turning into reality, as I see this memory in my head, I find the lyrics flowing from my mouth. The song always had such meaning to me. It was peaceful, and secretive. I suddenly hear a bristle in the bushes behind me. I turn around quickly, and see a pair of two blue eyes peering at me. They must've been attracted by my singing. Matilda always said I had a lovely voice. But these eyes are no ordinary eyes. I'd recognize them anywhere.

And I think that the animal these eyes belong too, realizes it too, because as I realize who it belongs to, they sense that I am realizing, and he quickly runs away. "Wait!" I call after him.

"Come back!" I run after the eyes into the woods, following it's footprints. "White Rabbit!" I holler after him. "Oh White Rabbit! I don't want to hurt you!" Of course! The park must've lead from the woods! That had to be the White Rabbit! It just had to! I'd know him anywhere, and by golly that was him!

"White Rabbit!" I yell, "where are you? I shall find you! Please, come back!" I see the same set of blue eyes in a bush again, and right as they meet mine, the animal that they belong to zooms out again. "Aha!" I yell as I chase after it. "White Rabbit! It's me!" The White Rabbit looks back, and keeps going. This time, he isn't dressed in his little outfit with his watch. Is it really _the_ White Rabbit? "White Rabbit! It's me! Alice!"

All of a sudden, the rabbit stops running. Instead, he turns back around and comes closer to me. He takes out a pair of spectacles from a pouch in his fur and puts them on. "Is that really you Alice?" he asks.

"Yes," I say, "it's really me."

"But," he says, "you're so…different."

"I've grown up, I guess you could say, well, I suppose."

"Grown up?" he asks.

"Yes," I say.

"Oh well this will never do," he says, "you're an adult."

"No!" I protest, "I am not! Well, I am, but I'm not like the others. I refuse to be! White Rabbit, I've been looking for you!"

"I've been looking for_ you_ Alice," he says, "but I've been looking for the old you."

"Well we can't all stay the same way," I say.

"Why, sure you can," he says, "look at me! I'm one hundred and twenty three years old, and I'm in tip top shape!"

"One hundred and twenty three years old?" I ask.

"Yes," he says, "one hundred and twenty three years old!"

"Why, that's a very long time," I say, "you must've seen a lot with those eyes."

"Yes," he says, "I have. But time sure flies by in Wonderland!"

"Wonderland!" I exclaim, "I've been looking for Wonderland! I've been having dreams you know. I've told my family too, but they all think I'm bonkers."

"Well you most certainly aren't bonkers," the White Rabbit says.

"Then you tell them that!" I say.

"I can't," he tells me.

"Why not?" I ask

"Because," he says, "We haven't much time left."

"Haven't much time left?" I ask, "haven't much time left for what?"

"Why, for Wonderland of course."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Alice," the White Rabbit says, "Wonderland isn't the same. Things are changing! The White Queen is growing weaker and weaker, and everyone else is only getting crazier. We need your help."

"My help," I ask placing my hand on my chest, "But what could I do?"

"Only everything," the White Rabbit says, "you can help restore Wonderland."

"Restore Wonderland?" I ask, "what do you mean?"

"Please Alice," the White Rabbit says, "come with me. Time is ticking!"

The White Rabbit starts hopping away, and I begin to chase after him. "Where are we going?" I holler.

"Wonderland of course!" he shouts again.

We keep running, and as we run, the scenery begins to change. The dead trees slowly begin to grow different shades of purple leaves. The beautiful blue sky starts to change dark and dull, and the clouds start to hide the sun. The once dead grass becomes alive grass, yet different shades of grays and reds. What is this place? Did he say Wonderland? Certainly this is not Wonderland. Why, Wonderland is a happy, fun place!

The rabbit finally gets to a rabbit hole, and jumps down it. "Well," I say, "here goes nothing!" I jump into the hole, but instead of falling, I begin to shrink to the rabbit's size. "What is happening?" I ask.

"You're shrinking to fit the hole," the White Rabbit says.

I start crawling after the White Rabbit. This hole is muggy, and gross. It's made of pure dirt, and my dress is getting awfully dirty. "How could you live in such a place?" I ask.

"I don't," he says, "I live in my house in Wonderland. Normal rabbits live in holes. I personally don't understand how they get everything here." Near the end, I see a circle of light. The White Rabbit crawls into it and disappears. As I approach it, the light becomes lighter and lighter. It's so blinding, I don't think I can keep my eyes open. I close my eyes, and crawl through the hole into Wonderland.

"Ouch!" I say as I fall. I look up and see that the hole was on a cliff.

"Ouch?" the White Rabbit asks, "I broke your fall! Now I'd appreciate it if you'd get off of me!"

I stand up and brush off my skirt. "Sorry," I say. I pick up the White Rabbit and set him on the ground. I take a look at my surroundings. The grass is full, yet grey. The tree trunks are light shades of purple, while they get into the darker violet color on the sides, almost turning black. The leaves vary from the shades of purple they are; continuing the same color scheme as the tree trunks.

The sky is dark and grey, filled with clouds. "Where are we?" I ask.

"Wonderland, of course," the White Rabbit repeats yet again.

I look down, and notice I am not wearing the same outfit. Instead, I now have on a white and black corset, with a black skirt. "What has happened to my dress?" I ask in curiosity.

"It's changed," the White Rabbit says, "oh dear, this is not good. Not good at all…"

"White Rabbit, what is happening?" I look at the Rabbit and notice that he has been changed, for he is wearing clothes. He wears a long sleeved red, buttoned up shirt, with a large white collar at his neck.

"Come Alice," he says grabbing my hand. The White Rabbit leads me forward, bringing me to a forest. The trees come together to form a long, dark tunnel. We walk into it, and it becomes very quiet. Water drips from the top, while sounds of an owl echo all around us. I suddenly begin to hear whispering. "Who goes there?" I shout as I turn around.

"Calm down Alice," the Rabbit says, "they're just Cave Critters." All around me I start to notice glowing eyes.

"Rabbit," I say, "what happened to the door?"

"The door?" he asks.

"Yes the door," I say, "the one that led into Wonderland."

"Oh," he says, "the Queen of Hearts got rid of that a long time ago. Said he was too annoying."

"What?" I ask in shock. "She can't do that!"

"Why of course she can," the rabbit says, "she's a queen. A shame too. The doorknob was a nice guy."

We come across a few steps that lead down in the tunnel. "This way," the Rabbit says. We walk down the steps, and even though they appeared to only be a few, as we keep walking, it seems as if they go on forever. They're a spiral staircase, and as we keep going down I begin to hear haunting music, and laughter. A sudden flash appears on the dark, black walls.

"What was that?" I ask.

"I didn't see anything," the Rabbit says.

We keep walking, and then I see it again.

"It was there!" I shout.

"Chesire, stop playing with the girl," the Rabbit says.

All of a sudden the laughter gets louder and deeper, and a large smile appears on the wall. Then, it's followed by two eyes.

"Well hello Rabbit," he says, "and who have we brought today?"

"Alice," the Rabbit says.

The face starts to pop out, and the full body of the rest of the cat comes out.

"Cheshire!" I shout.

"How does, she, know, my name?" he asks.

"I told you," the White Rabbit says, "it's Alice."

"That," the Cheshire Cat says, "is not Alice. Alice, is uh, small."

"It is me Cheshire!" I say, "I've grown up."

"Grown up?" he asks. The Cheshire Cat takes his tale and makes glasses out of it. He puts them up to his eyes and forms a dictionary with his hands. "Lets see," he says, "grown up, grown up, grown up, oh wait! It's ah, not in here, I suppose, because, umm well, let's see, that doesn't exist here!"

"But Alice hasn't been living here," the White Rabbit says.

"I don't believe that's Alice," Cheshire says, "I don't believe it not one bit."

"Oh come on Alice," the Rabbit says, "just ignore him."

Cheshire starts laughing like crazy, and slowly disappears. We continue down the stairs until they finally stop, and lead into a wide, circular room. Right in the middle is a large table, with many chairs around it. On top of the table are various pots, jars, cups, plates, and a giant tea pot in the middle.

"I know this place!" I say, "it's-…"

"I better get out of here before they ruin my watch again!" the White Rabbit says. He quickly scurries to an exit that leads up, and I'm left on my own. "Hello?" I shout, "is anybody there?" Out of a brown door at the back of the room comes out the very own March Hare!

"Who is making all that ru-…" the March Hare begins. He looks up at me drops his cup of tea. "Hatter!" he shouts, "Hatter!" He quickly goes back into the room and shuts the door.

"What is it?" a voice says.

"I could've sworn it was her."

"Don't be silly, she would never return here! She's an adult now!" the voice says.

"It was her! I know it was! Just come see!"

All of a sudden the March Hare comes back, with a surprise by his side. The Mad Hatter! The Mad Hatter wears a large, dark purple top hat, with a long sleeved dark blue shirt, and the same colored purple blazer. He wears dark blue pants, and is wearing tall black boots. The March Hare, on the other hand, wears a red long sleeved shirt with his sleeves rolled up a bit at his rests, with a brightly colored red bow tie, and light blue pants with dark blue stripes. The same thing he wore such a long time ago.

But something is different about him. His blonde hair is gone! "Why, March Hare," I say, "what ever happened to your hair?"

"See!" the March Hare whispers to the Mad Hatter.

"Hmm," Mad Hatter says, "I do see. She is awfully curious, like Alice. And she has the same hair…but she's taller…and she has a much different outfit on."

"It's called a wardrobe change, I do believe," the March Hare says.

"No no," Mad Hatter says, "I saw her wearing her blue outfit."

"Maybe it's because of the change," March Hare suggests.

"Perhaps, perhaps," Mad Hatter says. He places a hand on his chin and thinks.

"Happy un-birthday!" I shout out.

The room becomes very quiet.

"Happy un-birthday…" Hatter says, "Happy un-birthday….Why, yes! What a very happy un-birthday this is! And a happy un-birthday to you too, my dear!"

The Mad Hatter starts jumping up and down, which shakes the whole room, for he is such a large giant. "It really is her!" he shouts, "it really is her!"

"Yes, I told you it was her," the March Hare says, "now, who wants tea?"

"Oh please, it's not tea time now," the Hatter says.

"But Hatter," March Hare says, "of course it's tea time!"

"Time, is but a number," Hatter says crazily.

"That's why it's always tea time!" the March Hare says growing more mad.

They both start laughing, and together their laughs become deeper, and deeper, and grow louder, and louder. The room grows dark, and all I can see are the lit up faces of each one of them.

"Why," I say, "you're both mad! Mad as a March Hare! Perhaps that's why you're name is March Hare, and Mad Hatter, but you two have gone completely _barking _mad! What is going on here?"

The lights turn back on, and the laughter settles down.

"What is wrong with you two?" I ask.

"Why haven't you heard Alice," the Hatter says, "apparently we're mad."

"You've always been mad," I say, "but not you're even madder!"

"Now sit down deary," the March Hare says, "tea?"

"Um no thank you I wouldn't really care for any at this particular time-…"

"Time doesn't exist dear!" the March hare says, "you shall have some tea!"

He picks up the teapot and starts to pour some hot tea into a tiny tea cup.

"Ouch!" a squeaky voice says.

"Sorry there Dormouse," the Hare says. The Dormouse!

"Hello Dormouse!" I say.

The dormouse turns his attention to me as he yawns, and then suddenly his eyes become very wide, and he screams. He quickly goes back in the pot and shuts the top.

"Why, I don't want to hurt you," I say.

"Oh don't mind him," the Hatter says coming to sit down next to me, "he hides from everyone. Enjoying your tea?"

"Um yes," I say, "but Mad Hatter if you don't mind me asking, what is going on here?"

"Oh Alice," he says, "come with me." The Mad Hatter takes me into the back room and has me sit down. The room is rather small. There's two single beds, one small, one rather large and long. In the middle is a large table, with one small red chair, and one large purple one. The bed spreads have all different funky designs on them; they go well with the room, for the entire room is so busy with all the different colors! It looks so different from the rest of Wonderland. "Wonderland isn't like it used to be anymore," he says.

"Yes," I say, "I've noticed. What has happened here?"

"Well you see Alice," he says, "the White Queen has always kept the balance in Wonderland. If it wasn't for her, the Red Queen would use her power to disrupt the balance."

"You mean, the Queen of Hearts?" I ask.

"No," he says, "The Red Queen. After you beat the Queen of Hearts in that trial, it made her very angry indeed. She completely changed her name, and now she is addressed by the Red Queen and Red Queen only. If you call her anything else, well, it's off with your head."

"Oh," I say, "so what has happened?"

"You see Alice," the Hatter says, "When you make the Red Queen angry, her kingdom's temperature rises along with hers. However, the Red Queen has become so angry, that the hot temperature has broken out of just her kingdom. She managed to send it to the White Queen's kingdom, which is slowly weakening the White Queen and her kingdom. Without her to keep the balance, the Red Queen grows more powerful, disturbing the nature of Wonderland. If she gets too powerful, she'll rule Wonderland, and we'll all be trapped as her slaves."

"Why, that's horrible!" I say.

"Exactly," he tells me.

"But why has she become so angry?" I ask

"Why, I wouldn't have a clue," he tells me.

"How do we stop her?" I ask.

"We don't," Mad Hatter says, "no one is powerful enough. And plus, everyone is sort of…afraid…of her."

"Afraid?" I ask, "why, she can't be _that_ scary. Look at you! You're a giant!"

"Oh but she is Alice," Hatter says, "she's awfully frightening! Even to me."

"Well how scary could one person really be?" I ask.

"Awfully scary!" he says, "that's why we need you Alice," he says.

"Me?" I ask. He nods his head and makes a sound to show that he means yes. "Why me?" I ask.

"Because," he says, "you are the only one who can defeat the Red Queen."

"How come?" I ask.

"You beat the Queen of Hearts at her game of croquet! And in the trial! After that, no one took her seriously! All because of you Alice! Let's face it, there's some weird things going on in Wonderland…it's not like it was before Alice. We need your help."

_Your help._

_Your help._

_Your help._

_Need you._

_Need you._

Just like in my dream. I don't know how I feel about this. Wonderland has always been so happy and lovely. What could possibly be wrong about it all?

"I don't know…" I say, "I just wanted to re-visit Wonderland."

"But don't you see Alice," Hatter says, "this isn't Wonderland anymore."

I sit thinking for a while. What kind of mess am I really getting myself into? If I say yes, then I'll stay in Wonderland longer. If I say no, I'll have to leave, and may not find it at all. Then again, this may be another dream of mine. If I say yes, it could continue into a nightmare. If I say no, I'll wake up and move on with my life. It's quite a decision to make, if you ask me.

"I'll do it," I say.

"Oh yippee!" The Mad Hatter says. He jumps out of his seat and starts dancing. Then he starts singing, "Oh a very happy un-birthday, to me? To me! Yes a very happy un-birthday! To me? To me! Oh Yes a very happy un-birthdayyyy, tooo, meee! Hahaha, hahahahaha!" He starts giggling like a crazy little girl, I'm just amazed at the site I am seeing.

"Now," he says as he sits back down, "You must first go to The White Kingdom. There you will find Miranda, I mean, the White Queen." He blushes at saying her real name. "Tell her you were sent by me. She is going to be very weak. For the snow has stopped snowing in the Kingdom, making everything melt. They can't continue the chess game without the snow. It simply destroys the order of things!"

"Chess game?" I ask, "what possibly could agame of _chess_ have to do with all of this?" He ignores me and goes on.

"Anyways," he says, "tell her who you are. Then she'll give you further instructions."

"How will I know how to get there?" I ask.

"Trust me Alice," he says, "you've always known." I'm not quite sure what that means, but I hope it's not another one of the Hatter's odd remarks. If I have any luck, I'll be able to make my way through Wonderland.

"Hatter! It's tea time!" the March Hare yells.

"Just one minute Hare!" Hatter yells.

"Minute? But it's always tea time. Like you said, minutes don't exist, so how could it possibly be…." The March Hare trails off about some odd theory on time.

"Now Alice, you'll have to go out the back in order to get there as quick as possible. There isn't much time left."

"Aren't you the one who said time isn't real? After all you've brain washed the March Hare-…"

"Yes I did say that," Hatter says, "but that's when I was mad."

"When you were mad?" I ask. He nods and makes the sound meaning yes again.

"You're still mad now!" I say.

"Yet not as mad as I was before. I used to be under the influence Alice. _All _the time."

"What?" I ask. "I didn't know you were under the influence at all! What, what, what the hell?"

"Now Alice," he says, "watch you're language."

"What the bloody hell?" I repeat again. "Mad Hatter!"

"Anything's possible in Wonderland," he says.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I ask, "and what back door?" He looks toward the back wall, where there's nothing. He takes his hand out and gestures to the wall, and all of a sudden a small door appears.

"How am I supposed to fit through that?" I ask.

"Well, didn't you shrink down when you came through the hole?" he asks.

"Yes," I say, "but not to the size of a mouse!"

"Hmph," he simply says. He looks around for something to do. "Ah! Here it is!" he says while getting up and taking a small bottle full of clear liquid. He hands it to me. "Drink it," he says.

"I'm not getting drunk today Hatter," I say.

"It's not alcohol," he says, "now drink it." I do as he says, and I start to feel a sudden change in my body. I look at him, but I notice that I'm slowly having to look up, and look up higher, and higher and higher. I look down, and see that I'm now sitting on a very large chair.

"There," he says, "now you can fit through the door! Now hurry Alice! Time is ticking."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I ask.

"What?" Hatter asks, "why, you're so tiny I can't even hear you! It's just little squeaks! Squeak squeak squeak!"

I roll my eyes and hop down from the chair. I walk over to the tiny door, and turn the golden doorknob.

"Ouch!" he says.

"Oh my!" I say, "It's you! I thought you were gone! I'm terribly sorry-…"

"Alice," Hatter says, "You mustn't tell anyone about this. Doorknob was supposed to be gone, but I just couldn't let a good friend go! So I'm keeping him here secretly."

"I won't, I promise. You're secret's safe with me," I say.

"I still can't hear you," Hatter says, "but I'll just assume that you're saying you won't tell."

I push open the door, and am about to walk out when the Hatter says, "Oh, and Alice."

"Yes?" I say.

"Whatever happens, don't let the power get to your head. Defeat the Red Queen, and that is all. The power of victory can be overwhelming. Just keep it low." I nod my head.

"Don't let the power get to your head," he repeats. I wave farewell, and walk out of the door. His voice keeps repeating in my head.

_Don't let the power get to your head._

_Don't let the power get to your head._

_Don't let the power get to your head._

As I walk out of the door, I begin to hum my humming bird song.

"Alice," the Hatter calls after me, "Come closer." I walk back over to the Hatter, and he picks me up with his hand. "I could hear that delightful singing of yours," he says, "what ever was that song called?"

"It's the humming bird song," I say.

"The humming bird song?" he asks.

"Why, yes," I tell him, "the humming bird song."

"Would you mind singing it for me?" he asks.

I begin to sing the humming bird song out loud for him.

_Oh where, oh where_

_Does the humming bird go?_

_Oh where, oh where_

_Does the wind blow _

_Oh where, oh where, _

_Do the buzzing bees rest_

_Oh where, oh where,_

_Do the birds place their nest_

_If I could fly_

_I sometimes ask_

_Would I, would I, really even try?_

_What has happened, well no one really knows_

_But I know where the humming bird really goes_

"What an interesting song," he says. He sets me down on the floor and walks over to his shelf. He picks up a small, red and black earpiece, and attaches it to his ear. "That's better!" he says, "now I can hear everything better!"

I begin to walk out, and the Hatter stops me again. "Why, Alice," he calls.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Where _does_ the humming bird really go?

I suddenly have a flashback to my last trip to Wonderland.

"How is a raven like a writing desk?" the Hatter had asked. Later when we re-met, the question had come up in my head again.

"Hatter," I said, "how _is _a raven like a writing desk?"

So now, this time, I just repeat exactly what he had told me.

"Why," I say with a big smile, "I haven't the slightest idea."


	4. Apology

**My Dearest Apologies**

Hello readers! I know you're probably pretty shocked to see an email with an update from me! I want to start out by saying how deeply sorry I am for now updating in what seems like a decade. Unfortunately my computer had crashed, so I was writing all of my stories off a dinosaur laptop which crashed every five minutes. Then that broke, and I was left computerless. But at last, I have a new (and quite fast if I might add) computer! I transferred my old files, and now I can finally update! Don't worry, I have a few chapters after the ones I posted that I've been saving, and have continued my stories on my phone. Now to copy and paste for an hour! (Yikes!) But I want you guys to know that even if it's months before I update (which it should not be because that is RIDICULOUS), that I will ALWAYS update and never just stop a story without telling you guys. It's no longer Summer for me, and school's started up again so it's been harder to update, but I will try my best! I hope I haven't lost any readers and that the wait was well worth it! I will try to put some new chapters up tonight, and if not then definitely tomorrow. I must go now, I have hours of writing to do. (And maybe some new stories….ooh…..) Thanks for being so awesome!

Read, Rate, Review

-FallingFantasy


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